The Brandberg Mountain which covers a total area of 650 square kilometers is situated in Damaraland in the north-western part of Namib Desert in South Africa. From Königstein which is the highest elevation point, a clear view of the entire Brandberg area can be pictured clearly.
The Brandberg Mountains are notable mountains of Namibia in South Africa. The word ‘Brander’, according to the Afrikaans, German and Dutch means ‘Fire Mountain’. This name suits the mountain very well because when the rays of the setting sun falls on the western face of the mountain, the huge granite massif resembles a burning heap of slag glowing deep red. In Damara, the name for Brandberg Mountain is Dâures, which literally means ‘burning mountain’.
The main reasons outlined by the written records in proclaiming the Brandberg area comprising the huge Brandberg massif as a national monument in 1951 are – the alluring beauty of the whole of Brandberg landscape in Namibia, the ecological varieties seen in the rare and splendid species of plant, the host of numerous rock paintings and archaeological sites including that of ‘White Lady’ which is world famous, the area’s interesting geomorphology, and the wide variety of animal life found in the Brandberg Mountain owing to the presence of sufficient water sources.
Though the Brandberg Mountains have ample water from the ravines and valleys flowing through it, the Brandberg area in general is very arid, wild and uninhabited, with hardly any possibility of water. In summer, the area bears temperature more than 40° which is a routine. Still, the Brandberg is the favorite dwelling place for a good variety of wildlife. The animals may be few in number because the environment is unable to take care of large population, but one is sure to view a desert dwelling elephant or a black rhino rarely in the course of their expedition. The Brandberg Mountain has the richest scorpion fauna in the whole of South Africa.